The assertions in a recent editorial (“On Rumsfeld,” 9/26/2006) that Secretary Rumsfeld “had forbidden military strategists to plan for securing postwar Iraq” and that he was either “willfully blind” or “acted to mislead” are absurd. The general quoted, Brig. Gen. Mark Scheid, later refuted the original article cited in this column, explaining it was a “manipulation of my words to stir controversy.”

The U.S. military began planning for post-Saddam Iraq in 2002. This planning included input from and consultation with all parts of the U.S. Government. A group of American and Allied officers at Central Command was specifically assigned the task of preparing for “Phase IV” – the transition from major combat to security and stability operations. And in January 2003, after these months of preparation, the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance was created to plan for and facilitate the administration of post-Saddam Iraq.

Furthermore, Secretary Rumsfeld has consistently been realistic about how difficult the War on Terror will be. For instance, in October, 2003 he noted: “It's a tough hard slog... There's no question but that what we're doing in Afghanistan and Iraq is difficult work, it's dangerous work. It is work that is important, it has to be done, and we're making progress.” That observation remains true today.

Current News Editor's Note: The editorial referred to originally appeared in the Buffalo News on Sept. 15, 2006. The following text is the above letter as it appeared in the Spanish-language El Diario/La Prensa.